Dear Luke,You turned 9 months old on Friday. Nine months old! I can’t believe how fast this time has gone by for us. In the blink of an eye, three quarters of your first year have gone and we are rounding the corner on your first birthday. And still, every morning when I wake up I look at you and can’t believe you are mine. It is truly magical.

To say that you are growing and changing everday would be an understatement! On Saturday, you started crawling. You had been dabbling in it for a week or so leading up to that moment, making progress forward but not quite making the connection on how you got to where you wanted to be. But now you have it all figured out and you move fast and with purpose, setting out to reach something (usually something you know you shouldn’t have) and when you reach the object of your desire, you look up at Daddy and I with a huge smile, so proud of what you can do.

You also clap your hands now when you get excited and it melts my heart every single time I see it. For a few weeks you wanted to clap but when you managed to get your hands together you would clasp them and shake your fists at everyone, kind of like how the pope addresses the crowd at the Vatican. It was cute, but it is even sweeter to see your eyes light up now that you can bring your hands together again and again to show us how happy you are. We would do anything for that smile.

Your Daddy and I act like complete fools just to get the tiniest giggle out of you and it is so worth it. Just remember that when you are a teenager and embarrassed to be seen with us in public. But for now, peek-a-boo can send you into a state of absolute hysterics. You love when I take your toes and tell you about the little piggy who went to market. Watching us talk on the phone is fascinating to you. You’ll stop whatever you are doing and stare and giggle, as if to say uh-oh Mommy is talking to herself again. And when Daddy and I yawn really big and loud at the end of a long day you find it hilarious, like oh I make you guys so tired, how funny!

No matter how tired you make us we love every minute of our life with you. You have brought so much joy to my world over these last nine months. Nothing could make me more happy or more proud than being your mommy. I love you, sweet angel!